Puff iron assembly



arch 2l, E50 w. GLOVER, .JR 2,5@1628 PUFF IRON ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 18, 1946 22' Zig www Patented Mar. 2l, i950 PUFF IRON ASSEMBLY William C. Glover, Jr., Kansas City, Mo., assignor to Bill Glover Incorporated, a corporation of Missouri Application February 18, 1946, Serial No. 648,266

6 Claims.

1 This invention relates to dry cleaners purl irons and refers more particularly to a puff iron assembly used in dry cleaning establishments for puing or ballooning parts of garments to remove wrinkles and give the material or fabric a smooth, ironed appearance after dry cleaning or washing.

A salient feature of novelty resides in mechanism for separately introducingA steam and heated air into the head of the iron from which they are discharged through small holes or perforations into the fabric of the garment. The arrangement ior maintaining the pui iron head at a relatively constant temperature while either steam or air is discharged from the perforated head is also a unique feature.

The conventional pull iron now used. in the dry cleaning industry has a hollow head whose shape is substantially that of an ovate spheroid. A steam pipe is connected into the head and by means of a manually operated valve, live steam is injected into the hollow head from which it is discharged through perforations in the wall of the head. The iron is rapidly heated and rapidly cooled so steam condensation and diiculty from moisture being discharged from the holes of the puff iron is a constant aggravation. Also, there is no provision for alternately discharging steam and heated air from the head of the puller iron.

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide an iron which has separate compartments divided by a central partition affording means for maintaining the iron at proper temperatures and substantially eliminating condensation diiiiculty.

Another object is to provide a valve arrangement whereby steam and air may be discharged from the holes in the perforated head by actuating separate manual controls.

A further object is to provide heat exchange between the air and steam supply pipes for transferring heat from the steam to the incoming air.

Other and further objects will appear from the following description. Y

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the instant 'specication Aand 4are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts,

The single ligure is a sectional elevational view of a pui iron assembly showing the invention.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, at Ill is shown a pui irony head having a central partition Illa dividing the head into an upper compartment II and a lower compartment i2. In the wall of the upper compartment are a plurality of exhaust or discharge holes I3.

- 2 Into the throat of the head or steam inlet adapter Ib is screwed the threaded end of steam pipe I4. The lower end of the steam pipe is screwed into base portion I5 supported on any convenient working surface diagrammatically shown at I6.

Partition lila of the head is drilled and threaded to receive valve seat I'I. This valve seat is centrally bored to form a lower enlarged duct I8 tapering into a duct I8a of smaller diameter. Lower duct I8 communicates with the lower compartment IZ of the head when the valve is open, as will hereinafter be explained. Upper duct |812 has free communication with the upper compartment of the head Il through a plurality of radial holes Ib At the lower end of member I'I is formed an annular valve seat Ila. Extending longitudinally of the steam pipe I4 is a hollow valve stern i9. On the upper threaded end of the stem is screwed a disk-holding body 20. The upper surface of the body has an annular groove into which iits an annular disk or gasket 2l. Extending upwardly from the top of the body is a threaded projection 20a having a central duct which communicates through the body with the duct or channel in the valve stem. A disk-holding nut 22 screwed onto the extension 20a ts against the disk 2I and holds it in its groove in the body 20. v

Seated on a shoulder in steam pipe I4 is a centrally apertured plate 23 through which the valve stern passes. Between plate 23 and the lower shoulder of the disk-holding body 2l] is a compression spring 24 which mechanically urges the valve against seat Ila, thereby sealing the upper and lower compartments from each other, but allowing free communication between the hollow valve stern through radial holes I8b to the upper compartment Il. Surrounding the steam pipe and tting into shoulders in the base I5 and inlet adapter Ib is a plastic protector tube 25 which affords the operator effective insulation from the heat of the steam pipe.

' The lower end oi hollow valyestem I9`extends through a hole inthe bottom of thebase .1I 5 where it is sealed against' le'aklageuby` graphite packing V26 heldl in placejjbymeans of packing nut 2l.- ln order to vraise the valve stem against the force oi compression spring 2li to unseat the valve, there is provided a manually operated actuating mechanism. Itconsists of a bracket |5114 extending below the base I5 and to which is plv-3 otedhat 28 an arm 29. An actuating link 30 communicating with a handleor pedal is con nected toV the opposite end of the arm. The pivoted arm 2S is attached to the lower threaded end of valve stem I9 by a nut 3l. Also screwed to the lower end of the valve stem is an elbow 32 which has communication through a ilexible hose 33 with the discharge connection of air valve 34. To the inlet side of the air valve is connected the air supply pipe 35. Air valve 34 is of the spring actuated type opened by raising valve pin 34a. The valve pin is operated by lifting valve actuating arm 3G by means of .link 3T which has connection with a manually operated lever or pedal not shown. The actuating arm 36 is piv oted upon bracket 38 attached to the lower portion of the valve body. With lowering of the actuating arm the air valve automatically closes.

Steam is supplied to the yassembly throughpipe 39 connected into the base I5 below support I6, or at any other convenient location along the steam pipe. Surrounding the air pipe 35 and in heat exchange relation with steam pipe `39 is a casing 4i) having thin metal walls conducive to the transf-er of heat from the walls .of the steam pipe to their air pipe. Within the .casing and surrounding the air pipe is packed .noncorrosive metallic wool, such .as copper., bronze, Mone] metal or stainless steel .shavings 4I. This metal wool or metal shavings affords an extended surface .for the transfer of heat from the walls of the steam pipe to the air pipe. Thus, it will `be seen by means of this heat exchange arrangement, heat from the .steam .is .transferred .to 4the air passing through air pipe 35 V.prior to its introduction to the pu iron.

To operate the iron, the air and steam pipe connections are made, the latter providing steam continuously vto the lower compartment .I2 .of the head through the steam pipe I4. To discharge steam into the upper compartment lI andout through holes I3, link 3B and pivoted arm 29 are depressed sliding Ivalve stem I9 Vlongitudinally vof the steam .pipe I4 and unseating valve disk 2l from its seat I'Ia. With the opening'of the valve, steam .enters ducts IS and Ia of member I1 .and is discharged through radial ducts .Ib in the upper compartment I I, thence through holes I3 into lthe garment or fabric held vover the head. Unseating of the valve is Vaccomplished against the force of compression .spring l24 so when arm 29 is released, the spring again takes effect, .seating the valve and shutting on the steam supply to the upper compartment. When the operator wishes to remove moisture produced yby steaming or prefers to puff or iron the garment with the aid .of heated air alone, the steam valve is permitted to close and pivoted arm 36 below air valve 34 .is actuated to admit heated air from pipe 35. With the opening of valve 34 the heated air is .discharged through hose .33, into the .hollow valve stem I9. Since the valve stem is located within steam pipe I4 the air is further heated before .being discharged .into the duct in extension .Zilarof valve body 20. From this duct it passes into channels IB .and .Ia of member .I 1 thence through radial ducts ,J 8b into the upper compartment .lI of .the head, .and .out through holes 1.3 into the garment.

Thus it will be seen there is .provided apuff iron assembly which provides a head maintained at relatively .constant temperature. In addition to the heated head there .may '.be alternately .discharged from the .upper compartment either live steam or heated air at .the will of the operator. The optional use of air and steam gives the apparatus increased flexibility and a .considerably greater range of uses. It obviates .to a great extent the difculties of condensation in the head and provides a drying media in the form of heated air which may be used alternately with steam to obtain better results in ironing portions of garments not easily worked with the conven- 5 tional puier.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends vand objects hereinabove .set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the device.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to the other features and subcombina-tions. This is contemplated by and is within the Ascope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the linvention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in alimiting sense.

.Having thus described my invention, I claim:

.1. A 'puff iron assembly for dry cleaners comprising a hollow puf iron head separated into .upper and .lower compartments with a partition therebetween, said head mounted upon the upper end of a vertical pipe through which steam is supplied to the lower compartment, exhaust holes in the upper compartment of the head, a port in the partition providing communication between the upper .and lower compartments of the head, a valve for the port vhaving a valve seat carried by the partition, means normally urging the valve against said seat, a hollow valve .stem extending downwardly from the valve and having a connection at its .lower end to an air supply pipe, said stem providing communication between said air supply pipe and the upper compartment, and separate actuating mechanisms for introducing .air lto the valve stem and vfor unseating the valve.

2. A puff .iron assembly as in claim l including a .heat exchanger in the air supply pipe mounted adjacent the steam lsupply pipe for transferring heat to the air.

3. A puff iron assembly as in claim 1 wherein said Valve stem extends through said vertical pipe.

4. Apuff iron yassembly comprising a hollow head divided by a partition into upper and lower compartments, exhaust holes in the wall of the upper compartment, a steam connection to the lower compartment, the partition having a port through which steam can pass from the lower compartment to the upper compartment, a valve seat associated with the port, a valve mounted on a hollow stem normally seated on the valve seat to close said port, said stem having free communication at one end with the upper com- G0 partment and at its opposite end with a source of heated air, separate actuating mechanisms for moving the valve from its seat to pass steam from the lower to the upper compartment of the 'iron and introducing heated to the hollow g5 valve stem respectively.

5. A vpufl iron assembly comprising a vhollow head, a partition in said head .dividing same into two compartments, a lvalve in the partition, exhaust apertures in the exterior wall of one com- 7n partment, a steam line communicating with the uuner compartment, mechanism for opening and closing the valve thereby to control the passage or steam Irom said other compartment to said one compartment, an air line lcommunicating Je with .said one 'compartment atall times, and a 2,501,628 5 valve in the air line for controlling the flow of REFERENCES CITED air therethrough into said one compartment.

6. A puff iron assembly as claimed in claim 5 ll Wplirferences are of recom m me wherein at least part of said air line is Within said steam line in heat exchange relation to the 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS steam therein. Number Name Date 1,522,379 Martens Jan. 6, 1925 WILLIAM C. GLOVERJR. 2,279,984 Goodwin Apr. 14, 1942 

